title: Risk of venous thromboembolism in bone and soft-tissue sarcoma patients undergoing surgical intervention: a report from prior to the initiation of SCIP measures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study reviews incidence and risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in bone/soft-tissue sarcoma patients prior to the initiation of Surgical Care Improvement Program (SCIP) measures in October 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review identified 171 cases of bone (51) and soft-tissue (120) sarcoma. Data were extracted on demographics, histology, presence of metastasis at presentation, type of adjuvant therapy, and established risk factors for VTE. Risk factors and outcomes were analyzed using chi-square and logistic regression with the Fisher exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of clinically diagnosed VTE was 4.1% (7/171). Only those patients undergoing chemotherapy were found to have a significantly increased risk of VTE (P = 0.04). Chemical prophylaxis showed a trend toward reduction in the risk of VTE (2.4% vs. 9.1%, P = 0.13). The number of individual patient prothrombotic risk factors showed a trend towards increased risk of VTE (P = 0.12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current rate of 4.1% is at the lower end of the range of reported incidence for musculoskeletal oncology patients. Furthermore, VTE did not occur only in patients with hip/thigh sarcomas, as previously reported by some. The trend for reduced incidence with chemoprophylaxis favors prophylactic measures but requires further substantiation in larger studies.
authors.affiliation: Upstate Orthopedic Surgery, Upstate Bone and Joint Center, Upstate Medical University, East Syracuse, New York 13057, USA. damront@upstate.edu
authors.forename: Timothy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Damron
authors.forename: Zabi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wardak
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Glodny
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grant
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D018890:Chemoprevention; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants